


Ace of Hearts

by Sky_King



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: A sequel of sorts to Rikamae's "We did WHAT?" fic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Any inaccuracies as to how iphones work will be ignored this is not Apple it's Banana, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Forgiveness and growth, Getting Back Together, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Multi, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Polypocalypse, Rika made me sad about gen so i fixed it ig, Second Chances, So the texting can look pretty, This fic uses a workskin please dont hide it, Unofficial Sequel, also it looks like IOS but works like android, current yusentai, future yusengentai, previous sengen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:20:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23133052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sky_King/pseuds/Sky_King
Summary: Senkuu and Gen bump into each other and—despite sharp words and hurt hearts—they try to mend the burnt bridge between them.Gen's not expecting much, given how his ex was already in a happy relationship, but he cherishes these new friendships he's forging.And maybe, with some luck, it might become something more.
Relationships: Asagiri Gen/Ishigami Senkuu, Ishigami Senkuu/ Ogawa Yuzuriha/ Ooki Taiju/ Asagiri Gen, Ishigami Senkuu/Ogawa Yuzuriha/Ooki Taiju, Ogawa Yuzuriha & Asagiri Gen, Ooki Taiju & Asagiri Gen, briefly Asagiri Gen & Ukyou Saionji
Comments: 9
Kudos: 61





	Ace of Hearts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rikamae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rikamae/gifts).
  * Inspired by [We Did WHAT?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21753268) by [Rikamae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rikamae/pseuds/Rikamae). 



> Alternatively this fic could be called: Rika emotionally destroyed me with Gen's and Senkuu's break up so I had to fix it.  
> I really recommend you read Rika's fic if you haven't yet!! It's Yusentai!!  
> This is a sort of unofficial sequel?  
> Important facts you need to know: Senkuu and Gen used to date, and Yusentai are currently dating
> 
> It's been too long since I last coded, and while this is nothing to brag about (the workskin was already made) I had a lot of fun with it! Hope you enjoy the fic btw!

If Ishigami Senkuu had to summarize his entire life in one sentence, it would be that he had the absolute shittiest of lucks.

How else would he explain finding himself sharing the same elevator as TV star, and former lover, Asagiri Gen?

 _How else_ would he explain finding himself _trapped_ in said elevator, suspended between floors five and six and with no way of getting out?

Surprisingly it had been people analyst, Asagiri Gen who had panicked first. Or at all.

The second the lights began to flicker, their elevator stuttering to a halt just after passing the fifth floor, Gen had lunged for the emergency phone attached to the control panel. His voice was calm, but he was speaking too fast for it not to be obvious. He was nervous.

Senkuu couldn’t blame him, he wasn’t feeling exactly exhilarated at the prospect of being trapped with his ex for the foreseeable future.

When the apologetic operator informed them that the ETA for the repair crew was of about half an hour, Senkuu just sighed and sank down to the floor, legs crossed and back against the steel walls. Maybe if they both closed their eyes they could pretend they were alone until help came.

But when Gen just sighed shakily, still standing next to the panel, Senkuu couldn’t help but open his eyes and say, “I know this is not an ideal situation, but if you hyperventilate you’ll use up all of the oxygen in here.”

Gen’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he huffed, entirely unamused as he too slinked to the floor. “Why is your first reaction to a crisis is always to be a dick about it?”

“Funny, I thought you liked my sense of humor.” Senkuu bit back, regretting the words the instant they came out of his mouth. Gen didn’t reply, and for a brief moment there was silence.

Just as he was thinking that they’d spend the next half hour in absolute, awkward silence, Gen spoke up again.

“I must say I’m surprised, though. I would have thought that by now you would have pulled a couple scientific miracles out of your ass to get us out of here.”

“I mean, there’s always stuff I could try,” Senkuu began slowly. “But half an hour is nowhere that long to try something risky. We’ll be fine and I promise not to attack you or whatever the fuck you’re so afraid of.”

They stared at each other some more, and Senkuu noticed the instant the lingering nervousness in Gen faded away to something like melancholy. His shoulders slumped, his arms hugging his legs to his chest in a defensive posture as he mumbled. “You’ve changed.”

Senkuu wasn’t too sure what to make of that assessment. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know.” He mumbled, giving a full-bodied shrug. “You seem far more relaxed; far more light than last time I saw you. Even more than when we were still dating.”

Senkuu’s scowl was withering. “Could you stop picking me apart every fucking time we share more than one word? It’s exhausting talking to you, Mentalist.”

“I’m just a little surprised, is all. After all, you and Yuzuriha-chan looked rather frantic, and the facts were rather incriminating. I’m assuming everything worked out, somehow?”

“That is, and has always been, none of your business.” Senkuu hadn’t meant to sound this harsh, but Gen should know better than to butt his head into this. Especially since this was exactly what they had broken up over.

“I’m sorry, Senkuu-chan.” Gen began in a soft voice, shoulders bowing as he began curling into a ball. “Seems like I was wrong after all, huh?”

“…What?” He replied in a dangerously flat tone. “You’re… sorry your guess was wrong? That’s it?”

Quickly realizing his mistake, Gen raised a hand as if wanting to stop him, or touch him. “Wait, Senkuu-chan, that’s not-!”

“I don’t want to hear it.” Senkuu interrupted him, voice cold. “Maybe I should try to figure out a way of getting us out of here sooner.”

The other man did not rise to the taunt, shrinking into himself even further. He closed his eyes as if in pain, looking miserable rather than angry. The irritation inside Senkuu fizzled out as well. He looked away.

They were silent again.

“I do think you’ve changed.” Gen whispered after a while. “Whatever happened between you… it has done you good. I’m legitimately happy for you.”

Senkuu bit back the instinctive reply. Gen could be a dick, but he was probably being sincere on this rare occasion. “Thanks, I guess. It’s… it’s been nice. Yuzuriha and Taiju have been nothing but understanding.”

“…Would you get mad if I asked you… what happened?”

“I’m… well, we’re dating.”

“You and Yuzuriha?”

“And Taiju.”

Gen blinked in bewilderment. He opened his mouth once, twice, but to his credit he did not say anything. He just looked at him, somehow sad and fond in the same breath.

“What about you?” Senkuu found himself asking. “Seeing anyone right now?”

His smile was contrite, if anything. “I’m afraid my schedule doesn’t allow me much time to mingle.”

“That’s not an answer.” Senkuu replied by reflex, even though Gen did not owe him anything at all. And still the man answered, resting his chin on his knees.

“No. Things weren’t working out, so I just… sort of stopped trying.”

“Oh,” Senkuu said uselessly. “Good luck, I guess.”

Gen giggled. “Thanks.”

The silence was a little less suffocating.

“You know,” Gen giggled again. Somehow, Senkuu had to double check he wasn’t actually sobbing. “I think I’ve changed as well. Not that you asked.”

“You mean beside that shitty hair style of yours?” Senkuu felt himself saying, hurrying to look at the other, worrying he had stepped over the line.

The other man only giggled some more. “Yeah, besides that.”

His smile was beatific.

His smile still made Senkuu feel like the luckiest man on earth.

“I am… quieter now. I’m more mindful of my words. I’ve always been blunt to the point of discomfort, but it’s like our little disagreement is what finally got me to realize that people don’t really want to hear my analysis of them.” I know how to shut up now.

The blood drained from his face. “Gen, I…”

His heart hurt.

“That’s not what I wanted.” He said, even as the words sounded stupid.

When he looked into his eyes, he could see the mirrored pain.

“What else was I supposed to gather from your little outburst, Senkuu-chan?”

“I wanted- I wanted you to not bring up my worst fear, not- _I don’t want you to shut yourself up.”_

Gen’s eyes were wide for a second longer, before he looked away from him.

“Gen, I… “

“Worst fear, huh? Guess I’m not nearly as skilled as I like to pretend to be.”

Something about that confession hurt like a bitch.

And for a fleeting second, Senkuu thought that they had broken up over a dumb argument.

Then he remembered it had all been his fault for falling in love with someone else and feeling all the shittier.

He gulped, feeling a knot in his throat.

Senkuu rolled his head back, feeling his hair being squished against the cold elevator wall. “You were drinking.”

“Senkuu-chan, I’d rather not- not have this conversation with you.”

“Oh,” Senkuu said. “Sorry.”

You didn’t normally drink.

“Man,” Gen’s voice was warbled in the silence. “I wonder when they’ll finally let us free.”

“They know the famous Asagiri Gen is trapped in here. They’ll hurry, don’t worry.”

He laughed. “I wouldn’t say I’m famous. But you’re right.”

The conversation dwindled to an awkward stop again.

“Asagiri-san?” A female voice cut through the silence. “Asagiri-san, the technicians are here, we’ll be getting you out in a couple minutes.”

Gen scrambled for the emergency phone, plastering on his cheeriest smile to go along with his sweetest voice. “Ah, that’s such a relief, thank you so much!”

After that, he began fixing his clothes, his hair and clearing his throat repeatedly.

“Well, Senkuu-chan, it appears that your calvary is finally over.” He said, staring straight ahead.

“It wasn’t all that terrible, in the end.”

Gen’s hands stopped moving. He still wasn’t looking at him.

“Right.”

It wasn’t all that terrible, Senkuu wanted to say, as he looked at his back. Those months with you, it wasn’t so terrible.

But that boat had long since sailed.

“If you… If you ever want to hang out, send me a text. I’m sure we could work something out… But you’d have to be the one to send the message, I’m not a fan of being ghosted.”

Senkuu winced.

But before he could say anything at all, the elevator whirled up, and the doors slowly opened.

“Everyone!” Gen sing-songed as he stepped into the well-lit floor, “Thanks for your hard work! It sure was scary in there!”

Senkuu swept a hand though his bangs, suddenly exhausted.

* * *

Senkuu had been… melancholic lately.

Yuzuriha looked at her boyfriend as he puttered around in his kitchen. He grumbled at the toaster for taking so long, then stared at his burnt toast as if he’d just murdered his puppy. Taiju was still soundly asleep, so it was only Yuzuriha and him, and his erratic behavior.

“Senkuu-kun,” she began, even though she had no idea what she was going to say next. Her boyfriend with the wide eyes and the windswept hair looked in her direction like a deer in headlights. “Are… are you alright?”

By the way he flinched and smeared butter on his bread, hand, plate and table, he was not. “ _Fuck_ \- sorry, uh? Yeah, why?”

Yuzuriha opened her mouth, closed it and then just handed him half a dozen napkins. After they had cleaned up the mess, she mumbled. “Do you have a project due or something? You seem… stressed.” Frazzled was more like it, but she doubted he would take kindly to it.

Senkuu opened his mouth, closed it and then just grimaced. “I don’t want to bother. It’s nothing, really.”

“It doesn’t seem like nothing. I can listen, if you want.”

“It’s just… dumb. It’s a dumb feeling for a dumb argument because I’m a dumb man. That’s it, really.”

“You’re not dumb, Senkuu-kun.”

For a second, when they locked eyes, he looked heartbroken.

“I’m dumb,” he whispered. “Because I should know better. Because I know better and yet…”

It broke her heart.

She got up, walked around the table and extended her hand. He looked up at her, with doleful eyes.

“Let’s go to the couch, while we wait for Taiju-kun.”

* * *

Cuddling against her in their plush couch, Senkuu sighed sadly.

“I’m-“ He began, but Yuzuriha promptly cut him off.

“No, don’t apologize, Senkuu-kun. You did nothing wrong.”

Senkuu leaned heavily into her, even as he couldn’t help but think that maybe he _had_ done something wrong. Maybe that was why it hurt so much. “Hey, Yuzuriha. You’re a girl, right?”

She laughed and he couldn’t help but blush at his _amazing_ choice of words. “Of course I am, Senkuu!”

“Well, I meant to say… you are good at this entire… matters of the heart, ugh. I’m getting hives just saying it.”

“Is this what’s troubling you? Did someone say something to you? Senkuu-kun?” Yuzuriha tried separating herself to stare at him, but her boyfriend did not budge.

“…Have you ever like, dated anyone before Taiju?”

“…Um, there was a boy.” Yuzuriha began after some thought, sounding rather confused. “I thought Taiju would never like me back and I just… hooked up with him. But it wasn’t serious or anything, it was just…”

“Sex?”

“ _Senkuu-kun! We were teenagers!”_

“Oh sorry, ‘doing the do’?”

He got smacked on the back for his efforts. Senkuu hissed between clenched teeth, but laughed into her neck, kissing her jaw as an apology.

Yuzuriha sighed, letting her hand land on him again and began trying to tease his knotted back into relaxing. “But this isn’t about my ex, is it?”

He didn’t reply, but he didn’t really have to.

“What did Gen do?”

Senkuu squawked. “Why would you even insinuate that slimy mentalist is the reason I’m like this?!”

Yuzuriha sounded entirely too innocent as she ran her fingers through his hair and mumbled, “Is it not?”

He grumbled under his breath in defeat.

“He didn’t do anything,” Senkuu sighed in the end, ripping the words out of his chest. “It’s not- I didn’t… You know my shitty luck, Yuzuriha. Remember when I told you I had gotten trapped in an elevator the other day? Well, I was trapped with him.”

“Ohhh, that must have been awkward.”

“And I call that an understatement. But yeah, it was awkward, but we ended up talking and… I don’t know.”

Yuzuriha blinked repeatedly in his direction. “You don’t know what?”

“Exactly, I’m just… I don’t know what I’m feeling.”

Yuzuriha tried maneuvering the both of them so she could look into his eyes, but Senkuu just buried his head in her neck, inhaling her scent. Her presence.

She desisted immediately, and just hugged him tight, continuing to run a hand through his fluffy hair.

“Are you okay?” She asked instead.

“When I’m with you, I always am.” Senkuu mumbled, which would have been an outlandish flirt if it wasn’t for the exhausted tilt in his voice.

Yuzuriha just kissed the crown of his head. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

She kept teasing knots out of his unruly hair. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

She hummed, accepting his answer. She didn’t add anything else, and after a beat of silence, she felt him take a hesitant breath against her neck.

“I… I thought I would hate him.” He confessed. “I thought that I would hate him for what he said. For- for hurting me.”

“Hating someone has never been your style.”

“But if I don’t hate him… then what I’m supposed to feel?”

“I don’t think… I have the answers you need, Senkuu-kun. That’s something you need to figure out yourself but…” Yuzuriha looked at him, eyebrows knit together in sympathetic pain. Her lips were pursed, and Senkuu felt like the worst man on earth to make her pull such an expression. Then she smiled at him, kind and understanding. “I don’t think it would hurt you this much if you didn’t have any lingering feelings for Gen.”

Senkuu’s mind stuttered to a screeching halt.

“…What?”

(Yuzuriha wondered if she had fucked up as every morning she came over to Taiju’s and Senkuu’s apartment, her science boyfriend would greet her with bigger and darker rings under his eyes, clearly sleep-deprived as he got ready for college.

He looked miserable, and she didn’t know what to do.

She didn’t know what to feel either, and that was probably worse.)

* * *

Yuzuriha wasn’t sure how her thought process had led her here, but she was too far in to quit now.

What was she looking for?

She had no clue.

But hopefully, some answers would be unveiled in Asagiri Gen’s live show.

She had asked Taiju to come with her, and she had been ready to be a fidgety mess throughout the show, but the second Gen showed up on stage with that wide grin and with doves coming out of his sleeves, Yuzuriha felt her fears fading.

She enjoyed it so much. She found herself laughing and clapping alongside Taiju. Smiling at his wide-eye astonishment.

Then the Meet-and-Greet began and she had to call forth all of her courage not to run out of the premise entirely.

With a confused, but excited Taiju by her side, they waited in line until they were standing face-to-face with none other than Asagiri Gen.

The first thing she noticed about him was that he looked tired.

Standing so close to him, she noticed how his makeup was a little faded, showing the slightest hints of dark circles under his eyes. His eyes were also blood-shot, and his lips were parched.

Lips that pressed together in a tight line as Asagiri Gen recognized them, irritated eyes open wide.

Just as she was thinking that, Taiju burst forward and thrust a bottle of water at him, all while gushing like a little kid about the performance and not giving the Mentalist a chance to probably kick them out.

“You really liked my show, huh?” Gen said at the end, popping the cap off the bottle and giving a hearty swing, before directing a lopsided smile at them. “I didn’t peg you two as… well, I thought Senkuu-chan would protest, at the very least.”

“Oh, he…” Yuzuriha smiled nervously. “He doesn’t know we came?”

Gen blinked repeatedly. “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, he… well… “ She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I wanted to know if I could ask you a couple questions.”

The Mentalist sighed, rubbing his forehead tiredly. “Yuzuriha-san, this is incredibly inappropriate. Me and Senkuu-chan are completely done, there’s nothing to say, nothing to fix. And you coming to my job hounding me for answers is-“

“I’m sorry, I know this seems incredibly pushy but…” Nervously she looked around herself and out of nowhere pulled out a couple flowers from her purse, a little damaged but still in full bloom. Her smile was cute and tentative. “I just think I should get to know you better.”

Gen did not take the flowers, eyes boring into hers. “Why?”

“Because… Because I think you both cared deeply about each other.”

Gen’s expression closed off completely and Yuzuriha was suddenly aware of how much the other had lowered his guard.

He smiled, sweet like honey and sharp like glass. “We hurt each other, which is why we shouldn’t be interacting. Please leave.”

“Sorry, I’ll… Your show was great.”

Gen watched them scurry away, how the girl was mortified, and the man was worriedly trying to keep up with her.

They probably hadn’t…

“W-wait!” Gen exclaimed before they disappeared entirely, startling even himself.

He pressed a hand against his forehead, not looking at either of them. “Is this- is this about the elevator incident?”

“E-eh?”

“Because, my invitation was purely out of courtesy, nothing more. You don’t have to worry about me trying to steal him from you, or something.”

Yuzuriha was silent for a moment. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “I know,” she smiled. “I know you wouldn’t do such a thing, Gen-kun.”

Gen sneered as an automatic reply. “What, did Senkuu-chan tell you this?”

“Do you… do you hate Senkuu-kun?”

This seemed to take the older man by surprise. He looked to the ground, as if wanting to compose himself. “…Of course not.”

“Would you be willing to talk to him?”

“Senkuu-chan’s not going to want to-“

“I feel… I feel like you should try, at least.” Yuzuriha cut in, her voice as soft as her words. “Back when we came to talk to you… I know it’s none of my business but… both of you seemed hurt.”

“Yes, see, that’s what happens when people fight, Yuzuriha-chan.”

“Senkuu…” Taiju began, rubbing the back of his head. “He was really happy when he was dating you, is your fight worth not being friends?”

Gen’s mouth fell open.

He was silent for a tense moment, before mumbling, “please leave.”

“Gen-kun, I’m sorry-!”

“Please just… just leave. If Senkuu-chan wants to see me again he can message me himself.”

He scowled at the ground. A hand harshly brushing the asymmetrical bangs out of his eyes. “And if I say no, that’s my prerogative.”

“Yes, of course. Gen-kun, thanks for- um, your show was great.” Yuzuriha finished lamely before she grabbed Taiju’s hand and scurried off.

“Shit,” Gen mumbled, pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes once alone. “I’m such an idiot.”

He was reading too much into it.

He was taking their assumptions as facts, and here he was feeling his heart fluttering for a relationship long dead.

A relationship.

Had Senkuu really called it… dating?

“Asagiri-san, your next fans are waiting for you, can they come in?”

A breath.

A smile.

“Yes, yes, I’m ready~!”

* * *

“Hey, Senkuu-kun,” Yuzuriha began, toying with the straw between her fingers, one lazy Saturday morning. “Have you talked to Gen-kun, yet?”

“What.” Senkuu spat, proceeding to choke on his miso soup. “Wh-why would I?”

She pushed the ice around, a small pout on her lips. “Because there’s clearly stuff you haven’t worked through.”

“Yuzuriha… I don’t think there’s anything good that would come out of confronting him.”

The girl’s shoulders shrank, and she desperately wished she had a vodka shot instead of an iced tea at hand.

Senkuu laid a hand atop hers, and she realized she was trembling. His hand was as cold as hers.

She looked into his eyes and felt terrible at the heartbreak in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” He said, voice thick with emotion. “I-I… You shouldn’t have to feel bad about it. You shouldn’t- look, I love you. I love you and Taiju a lot and all I want is for you to feel great, and happy and loved and- and… See, this is why I didn’t want to bring him up. I’m hurting you. I’m hurting you because ‘m an idiot who can’t fucking control his own emotions and-!”

He had begun to stand up, completely wired, bag slung over one shoulder, hair hiding his eyes.

Yuzuriha stood up, remembering she had a body the second his voice broke. She held his wrist, just them in their cozy kitchen.

There was silence.

“You’re not an idiot.” Yuzuriha mumbled. “You’ve always put me and Taiju above yourself, and you’re sweet and cute and thoughtful. But you have the self-worth of a walnut.”

“Wha- _what do you mean a walnut!?”_ He replied, sounding absolutely scandalized.

Yuzuriha scowled at him. “You were going to live your life pining after us, and you would never had told us if- if that incident hadn’t occurred!”

“Ok first of all, apparently I confessed to you guys before the incident happened! So that’s a moot point!”

“I’m not talking about the sex, I’m talking about us confessing to you, you walnut!”

“Stop calling me a walnut, you walnut!”

“I’m not the walnut refusing to admit I’m in love with Gen-kun!”

Senkuu’s next words died in his lips. He stared at her, wide-eyed, breath coming out in agitated pants, his cheeks flushed.

Then it all crumbled.

“I’m sorry.” He said, eyes on the floor, shoulders bowed. “I’m so sorry. You’re right. I haven’t forgotten him. And- and somehow, for some reason I’ve forgiven him. I- I don’t understand. I don’t feel like… Look, I’m not going to do anything about it, but I guess- I guess you’re right, I-I do.”

Yuzuriha swallowed. “Would you… would you like to see him again?”

His voice was quiet in their little kitchen.

“…Yes.”

“Then- then let’s go. Let’s make it happen. At the very least- at the very least you’ll finally talk.”

“We talked already, dummy.”

“A real talk. Not you trying not to step on each other’s egos.”

Senkuu did not rise to the taunt, half-turning away and gently tugging at her to let go. “…He’s not going to want to.”

“…I wouldn’t be so sure.”

This gave Senkuu pause.

This made him look back at her, with wide-eyes. “You keep acting as if you know Gen. What… what did you do?”

She met his panicked eyes with as much determination and confidence as she could muster. She would not apologize for this. Not when there was a chance it would help her boyfriend. “I just wanted to help you.”

“Yuzuriha you shouldn’t have…”

“It wasn’t a bother or anything, Senkuu-kun. I love you and I want to help you as best as possible.”

“I love you too.” Senkuu breathed out. “And no matter what happens then, I will always love you. You and Taiju.”

“I know.” Yuzuriha smiled at him. “And we love you, no matter what.”

* * *

It was a late night at the labs when Senkuu sent the message. It may not have been the wisest decision, seeing as how Chrome somehow caught whiff of more relationship drama and was hovering over his shoulder.

Unfortunately for Senkuu, their experiment was already over so there was nothing to distract his pesky labmate.

Having to explain to him why Taiju hadn’t beaten his face in, and how apparently he was dating his two best friends was enough relationship talk, however. So when Chrome began waggling his eyebrows and asking him who he was messaging so seriously, Senkuu felt justified in kicking his rolling chair and watched him overbalance and fall with a scream.

Senkuu was too busy trying not to show how fast his heart was beating as he got his reply, to listen to Chrome berating him about lab safety from the floor.

It was rather curt, but Gen had ended up saying yes.

And so their coffee meet-up was scheduled.

* * *

Saturday morning found Yuzuriha and Taiju blearily sharing a cup of coffee, awake way too early as their third tripped over his own two feet trying to get ready.

He tried combing his hair on three separate occasions, giving up just as fast. He put on a sweater, then a jacket, then a purple buttons-down.

“Does it look like I’m trying too hard?” He grimaced at Taiju, who gave him a sleepy thumbs up, before Senkuu tore the shirt off himself.

“Fuck, I think this one was his. Should I return it? Is he even going to remember? I bet he has like thirty identical ones.”

If Yuzuriha had been slightly more awake, she would have maybe felt a little uneasy at Senkuu’s nervous energy.

She would have also been more worried of the way her hair stuck up, as if still plastered against the pillow.

“Why not just go with the white button’s down and the green sweater you wore to Chrome’s last week?” Taiju offered, munching on his pancakes.

“That’s it!” Senkuu yelled as he ran to his room, naked from the waist up.

* * *

He got to the bottom floor of their apartment complex, before he turned around and began climbing the stairs again.

What if Gen just wanted to laugh at him again?

Dissect his mistakes, his errors, even further?

Dissect his relationship, call it fake?

Senkuu shook his head.

No, he may be a dick, but Gen had never been one to be blatantly cruel.

He tried calming himself down as he descended the stairs again.

What if he wanted to psycho analyze his relationship with Yuzuriha and Taiju?

He cursed to himself as he reached the third floor again.

No, no. Yuzuriha talked with him.

Taiju too.

They were alright with him going with Gen.

Surely they knew Gen wouldn’t try to pull any weird crap on him?

Senkuu pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes.

The hints were all there.

Inside that elevator.

Gen had every chance to tear him apart, yet…

_“You seem far more relaxed; far more light than last time I saw you. Even more than when we were still dating.”_

He had called it dating.

He had said that word, when back then they both had teased around the subject.

Maybe…

Maybe it had meant to Gen as much as it had meant to him.

He inhaled sharply and finally exited the building.

He would find out today.

At the very least.

* * *

“Hey,” Senkuu waved at Gen, pulling back the seat in front of him. “Is this seat taken?”

Gen hummed, looking at him over his oversized sunglasses. “I wouldn’t know, is your name Ishigami Senkuu?”

Senkuu’s lips pulled into a small smile as he sat down. “Sorry I’m late.”

“Never worry, I just arrived myself.”

“Ordered anything?”

“Not yet. Here let me,” Gen flagged down a waiter, and without letting Senkuu say anything, he folded his menu and handed it back as he said. “We’ll have two of your special brew thanks.”

Senkuu grimaced after the man left. “Hey, what the fuck?”

Gen just grinned like a happy cat. “Indulge me, Senkuu-chan. If you don’t like it, just hand it over to me and order something else.”

“Fine,” Senkuu huffed, giving up entirely too quick as he hunched in his seat, less irritated than he probably should have been.

They were silent.

“So-”

“Um-”

“You go first,” They both said again at the same time. Senkuu groaned, and Gen giggled softly to himself, smoothing the napkin in his plate.

Senkuu placed his folded hands over the table and gestured for Gen to go first.

“I just wanted to say, thanks for inviting me out for a coffee. Platonically,” Gen frowned down at his own hands, turning a pretty shade of pink. “Sorry that was unnecessary.”

Senkuu snorted. “It’s okay, I get it. Thanks for accepting. I thought… Well…”

Another awkward silence.

“Why… Why did you want to meet?” Gen mumbled, folding his napkin back into its original shape. “Is there something wrong?”

“No, um. Nothing’s… wrong.” Senkuu began slowly, running a hand through his hair. “I just…”

Fear, uncertainty, clogged up his throat.

“Fuck,” he mumbled to himself, rubbing his face rather harshly. “I must look like such a mess to you, bet you’re divinating everything already.”

“…I wouldn’t do that to you, Senkuu-chan.” Was the soft reply. “True, there are cues I cannot ignore, but I wouldn’t try to pry every little secret out of you. I’m neither a magician nor an asshole.”

“…Then why did you?”

“I… god, I need a shot. Or twenty."

“Oh don’t give me that,” Senkuu sighed, leaning back in his chair. “If anything, I’m the one who needs a shot. Or to be shot, I’m not picky.”

Gen giggled. “Dramatic as always, Senkuu-chan.”

His hands smoothed the napkin again. 

“I was…” His cheeks tinted pink again. His skin had always been unfairly pale. “I was jealous, Senkuu-chan. We shared so much, we held hands, we hugged, we kissed. We had sex. And yet… And yet I could never be the one reflected in your eyes. It was petty of me. It was… I hurt you, and I’m not trying to pretend I didn’t.”

“…I don’t get it.” He replied in a soft voice, eyes on the nervous gestures of his hands. “Why…? If I was with you, I would never have…”

“Yeah, I know.” Gen sighed. “Emotions are irrational like that, dear scientist.”

“I,” Senkuu scowled. “I’m sorry.”

A sharp inhale.

He refused to look up.

“Maybe I should have been more honest with you.”

“And tell me what exactly, Senkuu-chan?”

Senkuu wasn’t sure if it was the defeated tilt of his voice, or the way nothing seemed to be enough, but he felt his hackles rising. “Shit, man, I don’t know. Maybe you should have been more honest with me then. Let me know…”

“How could I?” Gen’s voice shattered into a question. “How could I tell you that I was jealous of your best friends?”

Senkuu opened his mouth, and was abruptly interrupted by the waiter placing a steaming cup of coffee in front of them.

After he left, Gen hurried to sit upright, pushing the sunglasses up his face. In a saccharine voice he described what this special coffee was.

“Gen, I-“ He began, trying to find words in the void of his chest. The other man flinched back subtly, pushing his sunglasses back up again.

“Please just indulge me, Senkuu-chan.”

Mouth set into a thin line, Senkuu lifted the cup to his lips. He blew on it. Took a sip.

“How is it?”

Rich. He wanted to say. Hot.

Not too sweet, he thought. With a hint of vanilla.

It was delicious, he wanted to say.

But when he opened his mouth, only a sob left his lips.

“S-Senkuu-chan!?” Gen sounded panicked. “Oh man, was it that bad?!”

This prompted an equally surprising laugh.

“Sorry,” Senkuu breathed out, lowering his cup. Lifting an empty hand to his forehead. “I’m so sorry, I… I don’t…I wasn’t… Man, how the fuck did you find a new brew I’d like this much?”

“Ah-eh… You liked it then?”

Senkuu sniffed. “Yeah.”

“Oh,” the other said. “I’m glad.”

“I,” Senkuu began again. Hesitated. “I was… nervous. I wasn’t sure… I wasn’t sure if you…”

Was he really going to come clean to him?

After so many months?

After dancing around the subject until it was too late to bring it up?

Did he have any right to?

“You… weren’t sure?” Gen parroted, softly. “Of what, Senkuu-chan?”

“You know,” Senkuu mumbled, daring to look at him and hating those darned sunglasses hiding those honest eyes of his. “Back in the elevator. You said, you called it dating.”

Another sharp inhale.

“You never called it that.” Senkuu whispered, praying he wasn’t looking as sad as he was feeling. “So I never did either. I didn’t- I thought I was just getting my hopes up. That it wasn’t serious for you. That I…”

That I wasn’t as important to you as you were to me.

“Oh, Senkuu-chan.” Gen said, sounding heartbroken.

Senkuu tried forcing a laugh, a hand against his eyes. “Oh man, this is not where I pictured this conversation going, honestly. Not a millimeter of a chance.”

“I was… afraid of the same.” Gen confessed, in a soft tone. “I was afraid I was just a placeholder because you would never try to get in between them.”

Senkuu swallowed thickly.

“So then…?”

His lips curved in a soft smile. “To me, it was dating. You were my boyfriend. I… I… well, yeah.”

“Oh,” Senkuu mumbled, somehow not feeling any better. “Oh, I see.”

“Anyway, it would do us no good to dwell in has beens, how are Yuzuriha-chan and Taiju-chan doing?”

“They- good, good. They went to see your show. Said they really liked it. They were already your fans anyway, so it wasn’t surprising.”

“Were they now,” Gen managed a smile. “Yes, I do recall Taiju-chan being overly enthusiastic.”

“Yeah,” Senkuu grinned into his cup. “That’s the Big Oaf alright.”

(Gen wondered if Senkuu had ever looked this tender for him, and immediately banished the thought.)

“Did they tell you why they decided to go?”

“I, well…” Senkuu tensed, hands tight around the porcelain. “Yuzuriha wanted to talk to you.”

“You could have just given her my number.”

“…I didn’t know she wanted it. Also, I don’t make it a habit to go sharing your number with anyone.”

Gen’s ears strained, trying to pick up a term of endearment, a soft insult even, just as Senkuu had done all those months ago.

Had it been only months?

It felt like they had been apart for years. Funnily enough, it also felt like it had been mere days.

“What, not even to your girlfriend?”

“Okay see, that’s different. I trust her. She’s your fan, but she wouldn’t pull any crazy shit. So yes.”

“As logical as always, Sen-koi.”

They froze, the term of endearment tasting like ash in Gen’s mouth.

“Shit,” he said, dragging a hand through his bangs. “I didn’t mean-”

“It’s okay,” Senkuu soothed him, with a lopsided smile. “Honest mistake.”

Honest mistake.

Like their relationship?

“So…” Gen cleared his throat. Looked away from him. “Why did you want to meet up?”

Senkuu looked at the cup in his hands. “I just… I needed to know, if there was ever a chance we could remain friends.”

“Why?”

Senkuu blinked repeatedly at his cup, trying not to feel hurt by those words. It was obvious. It was the logical conclusion. Gen had no obligation to remain friends with him, maybe he didn’t even want to see him in the first place, and here he was, having a-

“Senkuu-chan, please breathe. Neither of us want you to collapse. Would be a little awkward to explain.”

Senkuu inhaled sharply through his nose. “Right, right. Yeah, you’re right. I was just- thinking. I don’t think I have a good answer for that. I just-“ Missed you.

“…Just?”

“Look,” Senkuu said, raising a hand to brush the bangs out of his face. “Just say you don’t care for it, and I’ll be on my way. Sorry for bothering you.”

But Gen didn’t mock him.

He lowered his head, shoulders hunched, letting his expression be half-curtained by his hair.

“This… is not fair,” He whispered. “After flat-out ignoring me for months, and then using me to get together with your ‘best friends’, you ask me here and…”

He didn’t continue.

Somehow Senkuu hadn’t thought he’d be this hurt. That Gen would be this sad.

Guess he owed him a little honesty at the very least.

“I… I missed you. I… Being with you were some of the best months of my life and… If you don’t mind, I’d like to be friends with you.”

The sunglasses began sliding down his nose.

“Friends?” Gen asked in a warbled voice. “Can we even do that? We barely even knew each other before…”

“Well, there’s only one way of finding out, don’t you think?”

Gen sniffed. “Let me… think about it. It’s nothing personal, but I do need time to think, Senkuu-chan.”

“Of course. Of course, Gen-” Senkuu exclaimed, sounding winded for some reason. His chest felt lighter than he had felt in weeks. So when he next spoke, it came from his heart. “Thank You, Gen. Thank you for trying.”

And Gen smiled.

Senkuu left not soon after, trying to be tactful as he told him Taiju had come pick him up. There was no way that was possible however, so Gen didn’t hold it against him. Senkuu paid for his drink, and they shared a stilted goodbye.

When Gen saw Senkuu and Taiju meet outside the coffee shop through the window, he couldn’t help but sigh sadly.

His heart hurt.

* * *

The following week, when Taiju opened his inbox as he was getting out of bed, he hadn’t been expecting to see an invitation to Gen’s next performance.

“Say, Yuzuriha.” Taiju asked, turning to see his girlfriend feeling the floor with her feet in search of her slippers. “Did you have plans to see Gen’s performance next week?”

“Hmm? Not really, I don’t want to bother him much, why?”

“Well, it says here that I have an invitation from the Mentalist himself.”

“Wha-!?”

She fell off the bed.

* * *

“Gen-kun!” Yuzuriha exclaimed upon seeing him, having been invited to a behind-the-scenes greeting, grabbing his hands and shaking them up and down in her enthusiasm. “The show was great, you did great! You’re amazing!”

Behind her, Taiju was grinning at them both, waiting for her to let it all out before he offered him a water bottle. “She’s right! Senkuu says it’s all logical, but it really is like magic!”

Gen’s smile was soft as he listened to them. He laughed softly when Yuzuriha realized what she was doing and let him go with a soft gasp.

“You flatter me,” He said, looking from one person to the other. He tried not to feel his stomach twist. “So… Looks like Senkuu-chan finally gave up, huh?”

“No!” Yuzuriha exclaimed shrilly, eyes wide as saucers. “No! It’s not like that! There was an emergency in the lab, there was a power outage, and they had some temperature sensitive reactant, and he really couldn’t make it!”

“Ah, is that so. Very well.” Gen replied flatly trying not to sound too relieved.

“It’s true!” Taiju added, looking just as worried somehow. As if he had been able to pick up the soft disappointment behind his mask. “He was so frustrated! He kept cursing at the saucepan! He actually woke up super early trying to decide what to wear again!”

Gen could only blink in absolute bewilderment. All he could say was, “…again?”

Yuzuriha blushed, as she covered her face with her hands. “Oh… my god, please don’t tell Senkuu we told you this. He might die.”

“…What.”

* * *

“You look worse than usual,” Ukyou commented, looking away from the road for a second to look at his co-pilot. “Everything alright?”

Gen rolled his eyes at him, completely unimpressed. “Did you really need the preamble?”

He straightened in his seat when he heard his friend opening his mouth again, and cut him off with a sigh. “Everything’s fine, I’m just tired.”

“You’ve been sighing for the past ten minutes.”

“Sighing because I’m tired.”

They stopped at a stoplight.

“It was odd seeing you hanging out with people in the parking lot.” Ukyou said lightly, eyes on the red lights overhead. Entirely missing Gen’s deadpan expression.

“Yes, it is surprising I am not an antisocial hermit, isn’t it?”

Red turned to green, and Ukyou kept his attention on the road as he replied in an even tone. “We haven’t exactly hung out lately, I would say you’re doing a great job at that.”

“You told me you were busy!” Was the haughty reply.

“And when has that ever stopped you?”

“You’re not my friend, you’re just my bully.” Gen lamented, leaning his head against the car window.

“I can be both,” He replied with a cute smile in place. His smile dropped as his voice sobered. “And as your friend, I’m worried about seeing you hanging out with those two.”

“With who two?”

“Yuzuriha and Taiju.”

“Wait you know them?” Gen asked, turning so fast, the seatbelt bit into his skin. “How do you know them?”

“Tangentially.” Ukyou replied evenly. “Kohaku told me about them. Also, I’m pretty sure they were the ones you were eyeing the entire night, last party.”

“You should just confess you find me hot,” Gen winked at him, trying to get his nerves under control. “Might even get a piece of me.”

“Hard pass.” His friend said, unable to stop the chuckle at Gen’s offended gasp. “I just thought they have a weird thing going on with your ex. And I don’t want to see you getting hurt again. There’s only so many tubs of ice-cream I can bear to watch you eat.”

“They were _two_ , you dramatic man. And you helped yourself to them as well!”

Gen blinked into awareness as they pulled over, but instead of the restaurant they had agreed upon last week, his apartment complex greeted his sight. “Why are we here?”

“I’m not joking, you look exhausted. Would feel bad to drag you out tonight.” Ukyou ruffled his hair, messing it up even further, but Gen couldn’t find it in him to care.

“You could have told me!” Gen said for the sake of arguing. “Also, hello? You could have asked me? What if I wanted to eat out with you?”

“Do you want to?”

“Of course I do!”

“Are you up for it tonight?”

“…”

Ukyou smiled. “Raincheck?”

“ _Fine.”_ He rolled his eyes, before leaning back in his seat. “Wanna come in?”

“It’s alright. You should get some sleep.”

“They’re dating, you know?”

“Who is?”

“Yuzuriha and Taiju. And Senkuu.”

“Ah,” Ukyou said. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, it’s better like this. Senkuu finally gets what he wanted, and those two get to stay together.”

“And what about you?”

“I’m absolutely salty Senkuu managed to twist my predictions like this. Who would have thought this was how things would turn out?”

“So why were they chatting with you? Were they bothering you? Because I don’t know them personally, but I can certainly make Kohaku pass a threat along. She’s very effective.”

Gen snorted. “Don’t be so exaggerated. I thought that was my job.” He looked out of the window to the starless sky above. “They liked my show.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah. They’re my fans. Just wanted to congratulate me. Want us to mend things.”

“Us?”

“Senkuu and I.”

“I don’t see how that’s any of their business…”

“I know right?” Gen said softly. “But to be honest, I would like that too.”

“…Even if he’s already committed to someone else?”

Gen sighed again. “Even so, apparently.”

* * *

Sitting alone in his lonely apartment, Asagiri Gen fiddled with his phone.

They hadn’t talked much longer after that, and Ukyou made sure Gen made it inside his complex before pulling away, promising to call him as soon as their dinner date was re-scheduled.

Even with that promise, Gen’s apartment felt… cold.

He wasn’t too sure what made him open the chat, and send the message.

  
**Gen:** Senkuu?  
**Gen:** Can I have Taiju's number?  
**Senkuu:** Wjdaa??  
**Gen:** I forgot to ask him something.  
**Senkuu:** You can tell me, I’ll tell him.  
**Gen:** Alright~ But it’s about you and it’s super~ embarrassing~  


His next message was Taiju’s contact info.

Gen giggled to himself. So predictable.

  
**Gen:** Taiju-chan~! It is I~ Asagiri Gen~  
**Taiju:**?????????  
**Gen:** Hope you don’t mind, I asked Senkuu for your number~  
**Taiju:**!!!!!  


Another smile, as easy as breathing.

**Taiju:** HELLO GEN, THANK YOU FOR MESSAGING ME!  
**Gen:** ^-^I figured you’d message like this.  
**Taiju:** :D I’M JUST EXCITED  
**Gen:** I’m happy that you are. Sorry for messaging you so out of the blue.  
**Taiju:** IT’S ALRIGHT! WHAT CAN I HELP YOU WITH??  
**Gen:** Ah, I was just wondering  
**Taiju:** YEAH?  
**Gen:** Do you always message on capslock?  
**Taiju:** OH

**Taiju:** No, not always! But! I was so excited! I didn’t know how else to convey it! Sorry was it annoying!  
**Gen:** Not at all, Taiju-chan. I found it rather cute. And in-character.  
**Taiju:** :D THANKS??  
**Gen:** ^-^  
**Taiju:** Ok but, what did you need me for???  
**Gen:** Ah yes  
**Gen:** I was wondering if you liked my shows?  
**Taiju:** I SURE DID! MAGIC IS AMAZING!!  
**Gen:** I’m happy to hear that!  
**Taiju:** :D  
**Gen:** So hey, I have been meaning to make a new addition to my show.  
**Gen:** I think your feedback would be useful  
**Gen:** Is there anything in particular you would like to see?  
**Taiju:** :000000  
**Taiju:** OMG OK SO I WAS THINKING  


Gen smiled down at his phone, curled up on his bed. No longer alone.

Senkuu was so lucky.

Taiju was so kind.

(He wished he could have been their friends.)

(He wondered if they could have been friends had he not gotten drunk that night.)

(Maybe he’d still be together with Senkuu. Maybe he could have been messaging Taiju from Senkuu’s bed. Maybe he could have asked him in person.)

It was just a delusion, but it hurt less than he would have expected.

* * *

Gen woke up that morning absolutely confused as to why he was leaning against his wall, instead of tucked inside his lavish bed. But he soon forgot about all of that upon noticing that his cellphone had nearly ran out of battery and he had half a dozen new messages.

Absolutely terrified that he had a show and he had forgotten about it, he hurried to open the messaging app.

…

It was Taiju.

**Taiju:** Oh!! It’s so late!! You’re probably asleep!! Good night, Gen-san! Thanks for messaging, hope you have a good night!  


Then.

**Taiju:** Good morning!! Oh!! You know, my girlfriend, Yuzuriha is also a great fan of yours, and I’m sure she also has great ideas if you ever want more!!  
**Taiju:** Also! I told Senkuu what we talked about! Hope you don’t mind!  


Gen licked his lips as he reached the bottom of the chat history.

That probably meant that the remaining new messages were from…

**Senkuu:** Oi  


**Senkuu:** Do you still live alone?  
**Senkuu:** Ah, right  
**Senkuu:** Good morning  
**Senkuu:** Also Taiju has good ideas, but they might be too complicated to achieve, be warned.  
**Senkuu:** Also I made Taiju swear not to give your number to anyone else  
**Senkuu:** …  
**Senkuu:** You can also message Yuzuriha if you like  
**Senkuu:** Just don’t be a dick to either of them  


Gen stared at his screen, going through the new messages over and over again as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.

He read them over again.

That was… such a random thing.

Granted, Gen’s own request had been out of the blue. He was actually surprised Senkuu had indulged him.

**Gen:** Good morning  
**Gen:** I pinky swear not to be mean to any of you, Senkuu-chan~!  
**Senkuu:** You’re up late  
**Gen:** What are you, my manager??  
**Senkuu:** I don’t have that displeasure.  
**Gen:** Meanie!!!  
**Gen:** Also… Yeah I still live alone, why?  
**Senkuu:** Hm  
**Gen:** Hm???  
**Senkuu:** Your apartment is too big for one person is all  
**Gen:** Um? Nosy much?  
**Senkuu:** No  
**Senkuu:** It’s just that  
**Senkuu:** I’m pretty sure you have more friends to message other than Taiju.  
**Gen:** Well, I’m not you. Of course I do.  
**Senkuu:** Exactly. **Gen:** I don’t get what you’re getting at and honestly I’m afraid to ask.  
**Senkuu:** Just  
**Senkuu:** Maybe you can come over next time? Taiju is a terrible texter anyway.  


His screen went black.

His battery had run out at the _worst moment._

Asagiri Gen screamed in horror.

* * *

Had he read that right? Gen thought hysterically as he fumbled with his charger, seeing the black screen light up, a blinking sign of a dead battery mocking him. Maybe his eyes were playing a trick on his mind.

Because surely Ishigami Senkuu couldn’t have possibly invited him over?!

“Oh, you useless phone, hurry up!” He yelled at his phone at a brilliant display of wise personal choices. The merry number 0% looked up at him. God, he needed a new phone.

What If he thought he was _ignoring him?!_

“Oh my god I’m screwed,” Gen lamented, curling into a ball on his bed. “He’s not going to want to have anything to do with me ever again.”

Just when they had begun trying to be friends again.

All down the drain, just because of Gen’s crappy, old phone.

As if protesting the insult, it buzzed as it came back to life.

“Too late, but thanks.” Gen snapped at it, unwilling to think about why it hurt so much.

Was it too late?

Would he really…

His phone finished turning on and Gen hurried to Senkuu’s chat.

**Senkuu:** _Deleted message._  


**Senkuu:** _Deleted message._  


**Senkuu:** _Deleted message._  


**Senkuu:** Nvm  


His heart dropped.

Was it over?

Had Gen fucked up again?

His phone buzzed again.

A message from Taiju.

**Taiju:** Is everything okay?  
**Taiju:** Senkuu’s been very quiet and idk what happened.  


A breath of hope.

**Gen:** Taiju-chan!!!  
**Gen:** Please believe me.  
**Gen:** My phone died!! Can you tell Senkuu-chan my battery ran out???  
**Taiju:** You weren’t fighting or anything?  
**Gen:** I swear to you, we weren’t!  
**Taiju:** Alright then, hang on.  
**Taiju:** Um, he went to his room.  
**Gen:** Did he say anything??  
**Taiju:** Uhh, not really  
**Gen:** Taiju-chan?  
**Taiju:** …He said, whatever.  
**Gen:** Taiju-chan, are all of you in your apartment?  
**Taiju:** Yeah, why?  
**Gen:** Thanks  
**Taiju:** Gen?  


* * *

If you asked Asagiri Gen what his strongest asset, he’d surely tell you his Mentalism took the crown. His people-reading abilities were top-notch, his mental math wasn’t too shoddy.

His physical ability though…

Gen panted, absolutely winded, regretting everything from his shoes (canvas sneakers were definitively not running shoes!), down to his absolutely-disaster of a look, covered in sweat and with his hair an absolute mess because he didn’t even look in the mirror before sprinting out.

His cheeks were flushed, his skin feverish and he was sweating so much it was _gross_.

But the worst part…

Was that he couldn’t even speak, too busy trying to force some air into his lungs as his ex’s current girlfriend stood at the door of their apartment, probably mortified.

“G-Gen-kun!?” She stammered, hands waving frantically in front of her. “Are you okay?! What happened?!”

“Ba… battery …died…” He managed to wheeze, trying not to look as pathetic as he felt.

“Died?!” Yuzuriha exclaimed loudly, clearly misinterpreting everything. “Gen-kun, oh my god who died?!”

Me, Gen thought miserably as he just collapsed against the side of the building, feeling his knees wanting to buckle from under him.

“Gen-kun!?”

“…Is Sen…kuu-chan… here?” Gen managed to wheeze out, doing his best to compose himself as fast as possible.

Yuzuriha hesitated.

“Um, why do you need him?”

Gen did his best not to think too hard about the wariness, the suspicion. He also tried not to think too hard about how embarrassing it all was. “My battery died… He… He was sending me a message when my battery died and I… couldn’t answer…”

“…Couldn’t you have just told him via message?” Yuzuriha continued to ask, biting her lip.

Gen chuckled, “You know how he gets. If he feels hurt, he won’t let you know.”

“…Yeah.” She said softly, looking thoughtful to the ground. “Um. He’s in his room, please come in.”

“Thank you so much, Yuzuriha-chan.”

“I-I’ll fetch you a glass of water.”

“Much appreciated.”

* * *

Gen stood in front of his room, hand raised to knock.

He hesitated.

Stupid really, after spending so much energy running here like an absolute dumbass.

Two knocks. Soft and quick.

“What do you _want_ , Yuzuriha, I already told you I-“

His voice died on his lips as he realized who was in front of him.

Gen smiled contritely. “Hello?”

“What the-?” Senkuu looked down sharply at the phone he held in his hand, then right back at him. “Whe- how- why?”

Mortified, and for once thankful his cheeks were already flushed from running, Gen broke eye contact to fish his cellphone from his pants.

He turned it on, and presented it to Senkuu.

“…Battery ran out.” He said, much too softly. Suddenly realizing how stupid it made him sound, how desperate, how clingy. He made sure his hand didn’t tremble as he brushed his lopsided bangs, and pulled them behind an ear.

“…You came all this way to tell me that?”

Gen laughs softly, making sure not to look into his eyes. “Stupid, right?”

“…Could have just sent me a message.”

“Would you have believed me?”

“…Not likely.”

It wasn’t said accusingly, he thought mildly. Senkuu was just stating the facts. It didn’t hurt, somehow.

Maybe that realization was what made Gen push through.

“…I just didn’t want to take my chances.”

“…Why?”

He opened his mouth, yet no words came out.

Senkuu rubbed the back of his neck. He looked back into his room. “You’re at one percent, let me lend you a charger.”

“O-oh, I wouldn’t want to impose…”

Senkuu completely ignored him as he went back into his room. “…Did you read the last message I sent you?”

“… I- I think so.”

“You’re here already,” He whispered, crouching down to pull his charger from the socket by his bed. “Why don’t you stay a while?”

“…Wouldn’t your partners mind?”

Senkuu rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous fashion. Gen couldn’t help but think he had never learned where that particular tic came from. Suddenly, he wished he could know. “Would they mind? Hell, they’d be obnoxiously happy to have Asagiri Gen in their house.”

His words made the Mentalist realize he was wearing his trashiest clothes, probably covered in dust and smelling of sweat. He felt stupidly out of place. “…Sorry, I’m not exactly in full get-up.”

“Oh, no.” Senkuu immediately said, looking serious. “No, we don’t- you don’t have to put on a show, idiot. Just be yourself. That’s enough.”

“Just be myself?” Gen laughed as he followed him to the living room. “That’s new.”

His footsteps were light, however.

* * *

Gen soon found himself cradling a cold cup of water in his hands, sitting in the loveseat, while his ex and his two partners sat in the bigger couch, their knees bumping together.

And rather than alienate him, Taiju had taken _his_ side, turning that big puppy pout of disappointment on Senkuu. “Why did you delete the messages?”

Senkuu was clicking his tongue, messing up his hair in a clear sign of annoyance, but it was hard to miss the blush on his cheeks. “That’s none of your business, Big Oaf.”

“Senkuu-kun! That’s rude! You made poor Gen run all the way here!” Yuzuriha exclaimed, thankfully not looking as Gen blushed at the reminder.

“Okay, first of all!” Senkuu shrugged their hands off as he lifted an airy finger to the air. He looked a little frazzled. “I did not make him do anything! He ran here out of his own will!”

“Well, yeah, because you wouldn’t answer him otherwise!” Yuzuriha pouted at him, “desperate times and all that!”

Senkuu bit his lip. And chanced a look at Gen.

The Mentalist couldn’t help but jump in place, his hands tightening on the cold glass. He felt tempted to look away, embarrassed and put on the spot, but there was something about Senkuu’s eyes that…

“Sorry about that.”

Three simple words, over a ridiculous situation shouldn’t have had this effect on him.

Gen smiled at him, tilting his head just right, “Don’t worry about it, I overreacted.”

He swallowed against the tears.

Ah… he thought, breaking eye contact with the excuse of taking a sip of water.

I really do love him.

It wasn’t any sort of revelation, but somehow putting his yearning into words was…

(He missed the curious glance Yuzuriha gave him.)

“It all worked out in the end, though!” Taiju exclaimed happily, his pout disappearing with the ease of breathing. “You’re here now! Thanks for coming!”

This time Gen did blush.

“Ah-I, um, thanks for having me…?” He managed, taken by surprise. Taiju beamed at him while Senkuu snorted. Yuzuriha leaned forward and rested a hand on his knee.

“We’re glad to have you here.” She said in a soft voice, nearly a whisper. No scorn, no resentment, nothing of what Gen would have feared he’d have to face.

He looked past her to Senkuu, who just smiled at his girlfriend before meeting his gaze. The corner of his lips were a little shier, a little softer as he shrugged in a helpless motion.

“Yeah,” he said. “Drop by anytime.”

* * *

That small reunion, that unimportant talk with them stayed with Gen for days.

A warmth nestled just above his beating heart, that never left him, neither as he woke up or went to bed.

His manager told him he looked peppy, Ukyou had smiled in relief but hadn’t pried further when Gen couldn’t explain it.

It was funny, feeling something and not being able to voice it.

It wasn’t until Taiju messaged him again, an entire week after that the warmth finally bubbled out of his mouth.

  
**Taiju:** Gen!! Good morning! Do you want to come over today?? We’ll have pizza!  
  


Gen laughed, vibrant and loud in his empty apartment. He laughed and laughed until tears came forth. And then he sobbed and sobbed, clutching the phone to his chest, as his feelings spilled out.

It was all the fears, and insecurities. All the “should haves” and the “has beens”. All the regrets, and the pain, and the stupid yearning he had never been able to let go.

And what Senkuu had said in the coffee shop, in his cozy apartment, finally clicked and erased all of those nasty thoughts with a single smile.

“I forgive you.”

“I forgive you, and I want you back in my life.”

“I’m sorry for hurting you. I’m sorry things ended like that.”

Gen laughed again as he sobbed. And he sobbed as he laughed. He smiled widely at the ceiling as he let himself fall back on his bed.

He loved him.

He loved Senkuu.

Maybe he could even learn to love Yuzuriha and Taiju.

Maybe he would have them in his life.

Maybe he would have friends to hang out on Saturday and eat pizza like dorks.

Maybe.

  
**Gen:** ^-^ What time should I come?  
  
**Taiju:** OHHH!!! Anytime!! :D  
  
**Taiju:** Oh wait that’s not helpful!! UM, We’d order at midday, but if you want to have breakfast with us as well, you’re totally welcome!!  
  
**Taiju:** :O  
  
**Taiju:** I’d need to tell the others tho!! Lmk what you decide!!

* * *

Gen had made the tactical decision of declining breakfast in order to have time to pick his outfit for the day. He would need something to show off, but also not be date-ready.

He went through several pairs of ripped jeans, and cashmere sweaters while he tried to pick the appropriated look. He also exhausted Ukyou’s patience, until the other man gave up on him.

  
**Taiju:** You look good in anything, pick something and leave already!!  


* * *

Dressed in an open checkered shirt, with a white undershirt, Gen felt a little mortified at having taken so long to settle for such a normal outfit.

Or it could have been the fact that he was standing outside his ex’s apartment because his current boyfriend had invited him in.

How was this his life?

Before he could continue lamenting his life, Taiju in the flesh opened the door, excitement written all over his face like an open book. Gen soon found himself crushed against his chest, lifted clean right off his feet as Taiju hugged him to kingdom come.

“Thanks for coming, Gen!” He exclaimed, pulling a laughter out of Gen.

“Goodness Taiju-chan, one would think I was your boyfriend, to be greeted with this much energy.” He froze as soon as those words left his mouth, but fortunately Taiju only laughed it off.

Taiju patted his back as he guided him in, inviting him to the living room.

Senkuu and Yuzuriha were arguing about how bio-degradable their disposable plates were over their pizza boxes.

They looked up when Gen stumbled in and waved at him in greeting.

Yuzuriha scooted to let him sit close to the food, which ended up putting him closer to Senkuu than he would have wanted.

But all the other man did was offer him a paper plate, and warn him if he was willing to risk aiding the pollution of the planet just to have this small commodity.

Gen wasn’t too sure what he was declining, but Yuzuriha stuck out her tongue at both of them before almost dumping two slices on their lap.

Gen was suddenly too busy trying not to get the stringy cheese to spill down his clothes to care about being close to his ex.

Taiju laughed as he sat down next to Yuzuriha, immediately getting distracted as Yuzuriha shoved a paper plate at him, then tried feeding him with a giggle.

“You guys are eriously-say cute,” Gen said with a mouthful of pizza, snorting when he received twin flustered reactions.

“They really are,” Senkuu agreed easily enough as he leaned in to grab another slice. The toppings began to slide off alongside the cheese, and after some fumbling he managed to shove nearly all of it into his mouth. He chewed rather loudly before swallowing and adding, “but Yuzuriha is a bad girlfriend for making me suffer like this.”

“I’m just trying to help the environment! Pizza doesn’t need plates!”

Gen and Taiju shared a glance and laughed. “She does have a point, Senkuu-chan. You simply seem to lack that particular skill.”

“Senkuu! Maybe Yuzuriha can feed you if you’re having so much problems!”

This only made Senkuu blush. “I don’t _need_ help, you Big Oaf!”

Gen was too busy trying not to cry at finding a grease stain on his shirt that he hadn’t remembered to worry about teasing Senkuu.

His shirt was already damned and he was still hungry, however, so he soon let that go as well.

* * *

After the pizza, they all took turns to wash their hands in the bathroom. When Senkuu came back, he was cackling and bearing a horror movie on his computer and a bowl of popcorn in his free hand.

Nobody protested even though Gen could see the nervousness in their features. He just sighed to himself as he asked Taiju if they had any spare blankets they could use.

They sat in their long couch, facing the television, as Senkuu hooked up the laptop.

Then the long couch suddenly felt tiny and cramped as Gen did his best to shrink himself and not bother the other three.

Which only resulted in Senkuu leaning back against his side of the armrest and throwing his legs over Taiju’s lap.

Between that and Yuzuriha taking up all the free space Gen was giving, they pretty much ended up bumping elbows anyway.

Gen wanted to protest, but as the movie began they all focused back on it.

* * *

As suspected, not even three minutes in, Taiju was already a trembling mess, wide eyes never leaving the screen. By Gen’s side, Yuzuriha was far more composed, even as her hands kept darting up to her face, as if wanting to hide.

Gen slanted an amused look at Senkuu, who was eating popcorn, completely unperturbed. He noticed Gen staring and smiled wickedly at him, then he slid an arm around Taiju’s waist, before turning to the movie again.

Taiju immediately leaned into him, almost absent and endearing in their familiarity. Senkuu’s legs had long since left his lap, but those two were just as plastered as before.

Yuzuriha didn’t seem to mind, sitting cross-legged in her side of the couch, giggling at them, before paling as she looked back at the screen.

It all went well until probably the second jumpscare.

Taiju hid his entire face in Senkuu’s neck, arms wound tight around him. Yuzuriha hugged thin air as a result, but then she turned to Gen and launched herself at him with a soft gasp.

He tensed up, somehow surprised by this development. The girl had her face pressed against his midsection, arms wound around him. She trembled delicately, and every time she tried turning back to the movie, she would flinch right back.

Panicked, he looked over at Senkuu and Taiju, but they were too busy with Senkuu trying not to die via suffocation.

Hesitatingly, Gen patted her on the head. She replied by nuzzling into his chest. Taking that as a sign that he wasn’t overstepping (surely, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell him off if so), he lowered his arms, running one hand through her hair while he rested the other on her arm.

Slowly but surely her trembling subsided.

She valiantly returned her attention to the screen, but she kept her arms around him, and every so often she would bury her face against him.

Gen forgot about the movie entirely. Too focused on making sure she was comfortable, that her blanket covered her alright, slowly running his hand through her hair in a reassuring gesture.

He tensed up again, nearing the end up of the movie, when he realized that he was being watched. Almost afraid of looking back, he caught Senkuu with an odd expression.

Not angry, thank goodness. Not mad.

Taiju was also asleep against him, and Senkuu traced slow, absent circles on his back, as he stared at Yuzuriha.

He didn’t look jealous either.

Gen was still terrified.

Their eyes met, and Senkuu smiled. Lopsided, and snarky as he’d done so many times before.

He looked tentative, and bashful, Gen thought numbly.

He would give up everything he had ever owned, just to know what he was thinking.

What was he considering behind those ruby-red eyes?

In his arms, Yuzuriha hiccupped, as she turned her head and the tension broke easily.

Gen worried about making sure she was comfortable again, and by the time his eyes returned to the other man, Senkuu had long since focused back on the movie.

So Gen settled back, and tried doing the same.

For the duration of one movie, the four of them were at peace.

The credits rolled.

Gen prepared himself to return to reality.

Then Senkuu simply burrowed deeper into the couch, pulled his own blanket around him and Taiju and said, “Goodnight.”

The credits stopped.

The screen went black.

And in the darkness that followed, Gen dared to hope.

* * *

They made plans for the following week. A friendly outing to the movies, an easy activity to gauge interest, or compatibility.

Yuzuriha and Taiju never showed signs of being jealous. Of being guarded.

Senkuu still looked at Gen, at them, holding all the secrets of the world in his eyes. In the soft curl of his lips.

The movies turned into eating out, the amusement park, board games sitting in the floor of Senkuu’s and Taiju’s apartment.

It turned into more strings of cheese slipping off, into oil stains that Yuzuriha taught Gen how to rinse. It turned into late nights and late mornings.

From a quick goodbye, to having breakfast together.

* * *

Despite everything, when Gen invited them to one of his shows again, he was still surprised when they all accepted.

When they went to find the Mentalist after his show, Senkuu was with them.

Taiju offered him a bottle of water, he and Yuzuriha gushed over him.

Senkuu rolled his eyes at all of them, and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You did good.”

Gen could have cried.

* * *

Ukyou kept telling him to be on guard, to be careful. Gen knew he was perfectly justified in his concerns, but he was so happy he could hardly care.

So when Asagiri Gen’s newest tour began, his friend told him to take this chance apart to think things through.

He was worried this interruption would cool down their interactions, but it hadn’t even been a day when his phone buzzed.

**Yuzuriha:** Good luck with your tour <3!  


Gen smiled down at his phone.

And before he could type out a reply, he got another message.

**Taiju:** Hope everything goes alright!!!  


And another…

**Senkuu:** Have a good one.  


Gen giggled before deciding to just call them.

* * *

It was a national tour, even though going all the way to Hokkaido probably felt like he was visiting some foreign country.

He signed many books, shook hands, took pictures. He bowed and laughed and presented his sleights of hands to millions of avid eyes.

It was so fun, and tiring and Gen was so relieved when he finally saw his city from the bus’s window.

He already was making plans with his bed, when Yuzuriha sent him a message inviting him to a spa night in her apartment.

He made a quick stop to bring a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers before arriving at her apartment.

Just as a thank you.

He was a little surprised to learn that neither of her boyfriends would be joining, but he assumed that wearing a facial mask and doing each other’s nails wasn’t an activity for either of them.

Despite spending most of her time over at her boyfriends’ apartment, Yuzuriha did, in fact, have a roommate, she informed him. She had also made sure that her roommate would be out all night before inviting him over, so after explaining that he didn’t drink, they had shared a facial, some celebrity gossip and drank sparkling cider. The non-alcoholic variety.

Yuzuriha loved her alcohol. Gen wondered why she even had that on hand.

They watched a movie.

They cuddled together, because Yuzuriha only had one blanket.

She fell asleep against him, her head against his shoulder. Gen forgot about the movie soon after, mesmerized by her fluttering eyelashes, and her absolute trust in him.

He shifted just enough to be able to accommodate her better, easing the weight off her neck as best as he could.

Yuzuriha… was so sweet. He thought, his heart warm. They were so lucky to be with her.

Gen was lucky to know her.

* * *

Gen had been set on waking up early before Yuzuriha’s roommate came back. He forgot to set an alarm, but thankfully, his friend had been kind enough to do it for him.

So he got dressed, and invited her out for breakfast.

They went to a mall, and decided to have shopping spree.

Or rather, Yuzuriha bought herself a new scarf, and a pair of shoes, and went alongside Gen as he renewed what felt like his entire wardrobe.

Gen blushed, apologizing to a laughing Yuzuriha as she dialed up Taiju to help them carry the bags. He convinced her to tell her boyfriend he’d invite them some takoyaki as an apology, and all three left for his apartment.

He thought they’d leave the bags at the entrance and go on a date or something.

Somehow he hadn’t expected Taiju to look at him, with that adorably excited expression on his face as he asked Gen if he could go in.

By his side, Yuzuriha kept side-eyeing them none-too-subtly.

So of course he let them in.

They marveled at everything, giggling like little kids as they sunk into Gen’s couch, while he put his new clothes away.

Yuzuriha asked him if it was alright to use his kitchen to cook up dinner, and then took off to buy a couple ingredients from the store.

Taiju stayed.

“Hey, Taiju-chan, I have to ask.” Gen as he flipped through his new deck of cards, thinking of a trick to impress his impromptu guests. He fumbled with them, a little too conscious of his nervousness. “Did… did Yuzuriha tell you guys I spent the night with her? In her couch I mean. I mean- I didn’t do anything to her, of course-!”

Taiju laughed, with that big, wide grin of his. “Of course she told us! She thinks you smell really good too!”

Gen actually dropped a card. He hurried to pick it up. He prayed to everything he didn’t believe in that he wasn’t blushing. “O-oh, I see. Glad to see it doesn’t bother you.”

He presented his deck to Taiju.

“Pick your card.”

Taiju’s look of intense concentration made a smile pull at his lips, letting him recover his cool even just slightly. He made his pick. He grabbed his card and smiled goofily at it.

He gave it back, face down and the Mentalist reshuffled them.

Gen did his math and pulled out the correct card.

The ace of hearts stared back at him.

He wasn’t too sure why his own heart seemed to skip a beat. He looked past it, to see Taiju staring at him intently.

He flipped the card, shifting his attention to something that didn’t fluster him so much.

The childish joy in Taiju’s eyes, however, was just as distracting.

“Is this your card?” He said even thought everything in Taiju screamed the answer.

“YES! You’re really amazing Gen!”

Gen smiled at him, fighting down the blush and-

“Hey, Gen.” Taiju began, sounding so serious out of a sudden, Gen began thinking if he had done something wrong. “…Can I hug you?”

He blinked several times.

“What?”

“I… I really want to hug you. Can I?”

In an amazing show of his control over his emotions, Gen blushed harder.

“I- well, I mean I guess?”

Taiju cheered as he pulled him closer, almost on his lap as he pressed him tight to his chest. His arms snaked around Gen’s midsection, his warm hands splayed across his back.

It was almost funny, how hot Taiju ran.

That was obviously the only reason Gen shuddered as he pressed a boiling-hot forehead against his neck.

Thinking that he was just overthinking it, Gen did his best not to fumble even more and between him turning to properly hug him back, and Taiju just pulling him closer and closer, he ended up sitting squarely on his lap.

Taiju then had the _gall_ to hum. “You do smell nice.”

If only the blood rushing to his cheeks somehow nullified the flow running south.

It was _impossible_ that Taiju hadn’t noticed, by the time Gen realized he should probably move. But the arms around him did not relent.

Should he point it out?

Should he try to force himself away?

Could he even try?

Then the door to his apartment opened.

Yuzuriha walked in.

Before the petrified Gen could come up with an excuse for things he didn’t fully understand, Yuzuriha giggled.

“Can I join the cuddlepile?”

And then she did just that, sliding behind Gen and basically sandwiching him between the both of them.

Now.

Gen had always leaned more towards liking men.

But the way her breasts pressed against him did nothing to help his growing problem.

“Um,” Gen managed to stammer in a too-high of a voice. “Does- does Senkuu know you’re here?”

Maybe hearing about their boyfriend would let them remember that this was rather inappropriate.

But all Taiju did was laugh. “We can call him; he’s probably feeling left out anyway.”

“Would be cute to see him jealous, honestly.”

“ _Um_ ,” Gen’s voice was even higher. “ _What?”_

Yuzuriha giggled against his ear. “Would you like to have Senkuu here with us, Gen-kun?”

_Would he want to? He would hate to!_

“Are- are you teasing me?” Gen managed to get out. He was rewarded by Yuzuriha whispering into his ear.

“You’re so cute when you’re blushing.”

“This-this,” Gen stammered, unsure of what to even _say_. “This is sexual harassment!”

He wasn’t too sure what he had said or implied, but he was nonetheless relieved when Yuzuriha squeaked as she let him go, and Taiju stood up in a fumble of limbs and stutters.

“GEN, I’M SO SORRY DID WE HURT YOU?!”

Splayed on the couch like a mishap doll, his shirt riding up and his pants painfully tight he watched the nervous couple look at him, absolutely mortified.

“You’re- I’m- I mean…” Gen’s voice dwindled in his confusion. “Can-can someone explain to me what’s-?!”

Yuzuriha covered her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry, Gen-kun! I think we might have gone overboard…”

Gen’s heart twanged in confusion. In pain.

“I just thought you looked really cute, and wanted to hug you, but then I remembered Yuzuriha saying you smelled good and I wanted to know, but then she arrived and I couldn’t stop thinking how nice you felt and I just let myself get carried away and I’m so sorry for making you uncomfortable, I’m the worst!” In a single breath, Taiju explained the entire situation in an entirely unhelpful manner. Even worse, he dropped to his knees and bowed in apology, pressing his forehead against the ground.

“I-no-well…” Gen looked at Yuzuriha for help and found her bowing profusely as well. His eyes lowered, and he found himself staring at Taiju’s card on the floor.

Somehow the ace of hearts had slipped out of the deck and now seemed to be mocking him.

“You… don’t have to apologize, it’s okay. I think.”

“Are- are you sure?”

Gen looked away from avid eyes, as he swept a hand over his shirt, making sure he was no longer exposed. He hoped they couldn’t see his trembling. “I mean… why… _why_?”

“I, well, I, we…” The girl looked erratically around her, trying to find a reason or an excuse. Of course she found none and swayed on her spot. “I-I need a drink.”

“I don’t own any alcohol, Yuzuriha-chan.”

She sat down on the couch so abruptly, it was as if someone had knocked her down.

“Of course you don’t. Okay, I think I really need to call Senkuu, he should be here-“

Gen stopped her with a panicked hand over hers. “Before- before that, please. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

She looked at him, cheeks flushed prettily. “I… um, we… we like you Gen-kun. I-I guess that’s- we, I may have gone overboard, but we didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable and well…”

“What.”

“Initially we just wanted you and Senkuu to, well… talk to each other again. But. Well.” Taiju looked away, rubbing the back of his head. “But you were just too charming.”

“What.”

“…What do you think about us?”

“…But you’re- you’re dating Senkuu.”

“Yes. And we’re dating each other. And- and we also, kinda really like you.”

“What- what does Senkuu think about this?”

“He’s- Gen-kun, can I call him over? He’s not- this is not cheating. We’re not cheating on him. He, I think it would be better to hear it from him.” Yuzuriha explained, pleaded, with her phone against her chest. Waiting for Gen to say yes, probably.

“Hear what?” Gen whispered, small and terrified. “What is he going to tell me, Yuzuriha-chan?”

“It’s nothing bad, I swear!”

Gen stared at her before he curled up into a ball to fist his hair with his hands. “Oh my god, I’m screwed.”

“G-Gen-kun?!”

“He’s going to hate me,” he groaned into his knees, with the attitude of a man who has given up on life. “Oh my god, he’s going to loathe me and I’ll never get to see you again, and we’ll never have movie nights again, or spa nights, and I’ll never get to hug you again, and I never got the chance to tell you how pretty you both are, and Senkuu, Senkuu of course he’s handsome and tall and so beautiful and I just fucked it all up and-!”

Yuzuriha had softly sidled up to him, running a hand up and down his back. “It’s okay, it’s okay, Gen-kun. We’re not going to go away.”

Taiju picked himself up and settled on Gen’s other side, a warm hand hugging him by the waist. “We’re going to be here, we’re still going to be friends, Gen. And you didn’t do anything, it was all us. So, so you don’t have to apologize. And… I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but… do you like us, by any chance?”

Gen groaned into his hands as all reply. He did not pull away.

“Can… can I text Senkuu-kun to come?”

“He’s going to murder me.”

“He’s- he’s not I promise.” Yuzuriha insisted, continuing to rub soft circles on his back. “And- and we’ll be here too, Gen-kun. We’ll be here.”

“…Alright.” Gen whispered.

And prayed he wasn’t making a mistake.

* * *

“Can’t believe you all got together without me. What am I, roadkill?”

Those words accompanied the sounds of a fourth person entering the apartment, startling the other occupants.

“Senkuu!” Yuzuriha exclaimed, telling him to not be so blunt as Gen, who had finally laid his feet back on the ground, covered his face with his hands, curling into a tight ball again, and refused to look up. “You’re scaring him!”

“Ah,” Senkuu said, voice uncharacteristically softer. “Sorry about that.”

He walked up to them, kneeling in front of Gen.

“Hey, Mentalist.” He whispered, laying a hand on his bare foot. Gen curled his toes but did not pull away. Maybe he couldn’t. “Well first of all, I’m not mad. So stop getting so freaked out.”

Gen tensed and Senkuu sorely hoped it was just the surprise.

“Nobody cheated on anybody, and nobody is mad at each other, okay? Ah, unless you’re mad. But you’d have to tell us.”

“…Not mad.”

“Good.”

“…Senkuu-chan?” Gen continued, in a feeble, scared voice.

“Yeah?”

“Do you hate me?”

“Of course not, silly.” Senkuu replied, making sure his voice remained soft, even as his eyebrows knit together. He bit his lip, staring at the scared man in front of him. “I… actually I…”

He gulped, looked at his girlfriend, at his boyfriend for some of the courage that seemed to flee him. “I still like you, Gen. What do you say to that?”

Despite feeling like he had just confessed the biggest secret of the millennia, Gen was entirely unimpressed. Or unconvinced, more like it. “…You’re just saying that.”

“Are you really going to play that card with me?” Senkuu asked, more worried than he was annoyed. He climbed on his knees to try and find his face. “Work with me, Mentalist. Am I lying?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care. I’m not-“

“If-if you don’t like me, well, it’s okay. But I want you to believe me. I still like you, you dumb asshole.”

“Very believable.”

Senkuu groaned as he pressed his face against Gen’s legs. “Just look at me, Gen. Please.”

“…I hurt you. Why would you ever-?”

“Thought we had already gone through this.” He replied, perhaps a bit louder than he would have thought. “You were drunk. You hurt me because you were sad. It-it doesn’t excuse it, but I understand now. And well… it all worked out. In the end. You were never- I didn’t… You were the first person I ever fell in love with. And- god this is cheesy, and I think I still feel the same way towards you. And lucky for me, my harem seems to like you just as much. But… do you like us back? Are you willing to commit yourself to all of us?”

Gen slowly unwound, face still covered. Slowly, he let his fingers separate ever so slightly to stare at Senkuu’s unwavering gaze. “You’re not lying.”

“I would never.”

“You’re serious.”

“Ten billion percent.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Most likely.”

“I can’t… I can’t just turn off my psychoanalysis.” Gen said, waiting for this stupid man to realize, to reject him so they could all just move the fuck on and let him cry in peace. “Can’t just ignore everything I see.”

And yet…

Senkuu’s eyes were just as soft and tender as he replied. “I know. But I also know you’re not an asshole. And I- I think… I would like to think I can trust you.”

“What if this doesn’t work out?” 

The shrug he gave, seemed to pain him. “Then it doesn’t work. And I’ll be sad about it. But I’d rather have tried, than just wallow in regret.”

Gen stared at him in silence, making Senkuu fidget.

“…I want to kiss you.”

Senkuu opened his mouth, once, twice, then settled for a jerky nod. “Okay.”

He climbed up into his lap, as Gen uncurled to receive him. They shared a moment of hesitant tension before Senkuu dipped to catch his lips.

It was nervous. It was tentative. It was soft.

“I…” Gen mumbled, his heart hammering in his chest, and feeling Senkuu’s breath on his face. “I love you, Senkuu-chan. Always have. I’m so sorry for what I said.”

“Already said it’s alright. It’s in the past now.” He said, leaning down to kiss him again, and again. “I love you too…”

“What about us?”

Gen wasn’t sure how he could still blush so much as Taiju softly tilted his chin to meet his gaze. “I love you too, Gen. What do you think about us?”

“I… I love you too.” Gen confessed, feeling his chest swell with emotion at the admission. He did. It was true. He loved all of them. And… And they loved him back. Tears filled his eyes. “I love Senkuu-chan, and Taiju-chan and Yuzuriha-chan. I ove-lay all of you.”

Taiju’s grin was soft as he moved to claim those lips. “So do we.”

Soft hands grabbed his chin again, and Gen couldn’t help but giggle as he turned to face Yuzuriha.

Pouting slightly as she tried moving past an entirely unhelpful Senkuu, she leaned in as well. For some reason Gen felt extra self-conscious because his lips were already moist before she kissed him.

She didn’t seem to mind.

Actually, her tongue darting out to taste his lips seemed to indicate the complete opposite.

“I love you too,” she whispered into his mouth. “I’m so happy to have met you.”

Gen had ten billion thoughts swirling in his mind, but in the end, he looked back into cocky red eyes and said,

“You’re absolutely insane.”

Senkuu smirked as he leaned back in, ready to confirm, or refute his words.

Not like anybody was complaining.

**Author's Note:**

> html sucks pass it on  
> jk jk
> 
> It was so hard trying to keep this to a T rating in the end;;;
> 
> um, hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you thought in the comments below!


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